A17183:1003
Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)
Fifty godly and learned sermons divided into five decades, containing the chief and principal points of Christian religion, written in three several tomes or sections, by Henry Bullinger minister of the church of Tigure in Switzerland. Whereunto is adjoined a triple or three-fold table very fruitful and necessary. Translated out of Latin into English by H.I. student in divinity.Fiftie godlie and learned sermons diuided into fiue decades, conteyning the chiefe and principall pointes of Christian religion, written in three seuerall tomes or sections, by Henrie Bullinger minister of the churche of Tigure in Swicerlande. Whereunto is adioyned a triple or three-folde table verie fruitefull and necessarie. Translated out of Latine into English by H.I. student in diuinitie.
London: printed by Henry Middleton for Ralph Newberrie, 1577London: printed by Henry Middleton for Ralphe Newberrie, 1577
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thy withholding doth hurt another man, when thou in buying and 1selling dost use false measure or false weights. To this rule is referred unjust and false exchange, I mean exchange of money in bank. Touching these points we will recite the commandments and sentences only of the Lord our God, who in Leviticus setteth this for a law: Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure: true balances, true weights, a true Epha, (that is a bushel or a peck in measure of dry things) & a true Hin (that is in measure of liquid things a pint and an half, or the twelfth part of a pint & an half) shall ye have. I am the Lord your God which brought you out of the land of Egypt. In Deuteronomy we read: Thou shalt not have in thy bag two manner of weights, a great and a small. Neither shalt thou have in thy house divers measures, a great and a small (to the end that in receiving or buying, thou mayest use the greater, and in laying out or selling thou mayest use the lesser) ⟨p. 271⟩but thou shalt have a just and right weight, and a just and right measure shalt thou have, that thy days may be prolonged upon the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For all that do such things, and all that do unrightly, are abominable unto the Lord thy God. Hereunto appertaineth that sentence of Solomons in the Proverbs, where he saith: Two manner of weights, and two manner of measures, both these are abominable unto the Lord. But what can be heard or thought of more grievous and horrible, then a man to be abominable in the sight of his God? In the sixth Chapter of Micah also the Lord doth threaten divers and grievous punishments which he mindeth to lay upon the necks of them that use not justice in weights and measures. Why therefore do we not rather fly from doing wrong and unrighteousness, choosing sooner to be happy than unhappy, and hearken unto the Lord who saith: good measure and pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete to other, shall other mete to you again. Let us be throughly persuaded therefore, that riches gotten by craft and theft can neither flourish long, nor yet be for our health to enjoy.
Thy withholding doth hurte another man, when thou in buying and 1